Global super grids do not necessarily favor deployment of solar power
Researchers at the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have investigated how a global power grid covering the Americas, Europe, the MENA region, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania could facilitate the integration of solar energy and transmit clean energy globally at all times.
“The Green Grids – One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative is planned to have three phases,” the research's lead author, Xiaoming Kan, told pv magazine. “In the first phase, the Indian electricity grid will be connected to the grids in South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East. In the second phase, this grid will be connected to African regions with abundant renewable energy resources. Finally, the third phase will complete a global, interconnected network that can be accessed by all countries.”
Kan also explained that a global grid connecting the entire world is an ambitious concept that requires unprecedented levels of international cooperation, coordination, and trust. “Given current geopolitical tensions, such as trade disputes and regional conflicts, the feasibility of a global super grid remains uncertain,” he added. “These tensions could hinder collaboration and complicate negotiations related to cost-sharing, governance structures, and operational frameworks.”
However, geopolitical factors could also act as a catalyst for super grid development in specific contexts, particularly in regions with strong geopolitical alliances and favorable political conditions. “For instance, the transmission grids of countries within the EU are already interconnected,” Kan further explained. “In general, establishing super grid connections between neighboring countries with strong relationships is likely more feasible than connecting distant countries that require cooperation from multiple intermediary nations.”
In the study “,” published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, the research team explained that a global super grid may not serve as an efficient solution for managing the variability of solar power production, primarily due to the high costs associated with transmission grids. Generally, battery storage offers a more cost-effective solution for addressing solar power’s variability, while grid expansion proves to be more effective for managing the variability of wind power, the paper notes.
“Furthermore, the impact of grid extension on the share of wind and solar in the electricity supply mix decreases when the system incorporates a significant proportion of dispatchable power generation, such as nuclear power,” Kan said. “This is particularly relevant for many developing countries, where power generation is still dominated by fossil fuels. Additionally, the deployment of solar PV is often driven by various factors, including national climate policies, government incentives, and energy security goals. As such, substantial growth in solar PV installations may occur regardless of the availability of a global super grid.”
The researchers found that such a grid may reduce electricity system costs by 1.2% and 6.5%, with the average value reaching 3.8%. They also found that it may decrease investments in solar power, even with transmission grids spanning 18 time zones. “These results indicate that a global super grid, as envisioned by OSOWOG, may not serve as an efficient tool to stimulate the deployment of solar power,” they stated. “The economic benefits of the OSOWOG initiative's Global super grid expansion seem to be rather limited.”
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